Rotary tube rack



April 16, 1940.

M.G.MURRAY ROTARY TUBE RACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1938 April 1e, 1940. M G. MURRAY 2,197,703

ROTARY IUBE RACK Filed March l, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 bww/dort' Mmc-GLM' Mu/eng Patented pr. 1,6, 19.4.0

UNITED STATES 2,197,703 l l ROTARY TUBE RAK Malcolm G. Murray, Ellwood City, Pa., assigner to National Tube Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application Marchv 1, 1938, Serial No. 193,377

5 claims. (c1. 21141.@y

f vThis invention relates to a tube rack, and particularly to a rotary rackfor storing tubes and the like.

y It is usually the practice to store tubes between vwere thin. The present invention eliminates this disadvantage and provides a rotary rack in which any particular group of tubes is readily and easily accessible.y

It is an object of the invention to provide a rotary rack'having a plurality of sections for storing tubes and the like, in which; if desired, variousvsizes of tubes may be stored.

It is another object of the invention to provide,I a rotary tube rack having a plurality of sectionsfor storing tubes and the like in which the tubes will be retained during rotation of the rack.

It is a furtherobjec-t of the invention to provide a. simple vand yinexpensive rack for storing tubular articles in which such articles can be Vquickly and efficiently placed or removed.

It is` still another object of the present invention to provide rotaryy racks for storing tubular i for the purpose of illustration, one embodiment cular members are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the length of ythe tubes to be stored therein, so that the tubes will extend through and beyond each of these members. Each of the circular tracks have a segmental opening 4therein, the purposeof which will be explained-later in the specification.

There is positioned axially of the circular members a rotatable shaft 5 having a pair of spacedapart flanges 6 positioned thereon and keyed thereto. Each'of the flanges have suitably at# tached thereto, preferably by means-of rivets, a plurality of corresponding arms 'i extending radially therefrom. These'arms form a plurality of tube receiving sectionsv 8 therebetween around the shaft v5.

PATENT oFFlcE v The corresponding oppositely `dis'y posed arms of each set of arms are preferably y held together in parallel spaced relation by meansy of rods 9', which are attached to the ends v thereof. There is' positioned next to the end of each of the extending arms 'l and freely adapted to cooperate with the circular track 3 to guide and support the shaft 5 and the arms 'l in the frame. x y

One end ofthe shaft 5 is preferably connected to a transmission `|I which is, in turn, y'driven by a motor l2. There is provided on the end of the shaft of the motor preferably a brake I3 which is adapted to hold the rack in any desired position. Also, if desired, 'the rack can be rotated by aforce, appliedto the arms 1. of the rack, such as by the hook of an overhead crane. A suitable brake Would then be provided, preferably on shaft 5, for holding the rack in any desired position. f l

In use, it Willbe understood that an empty section 8 is moved to the top of the frame opposite the segmental openings 4 therein and lled with tubes, then the rack is rotated until the next section comes into position opposite `the opening 4 in the circular' track-like member 3 and likewise filled. This is repeated until the entire rack is lcompletely filled. In the event that it is desired to remove any particular group of tubes from the rack, that section in which the tubes is stored is rotated until it is opposite the opening 4, at which time the tubes can be easily and quickly removed,

It will be noted that the circular track and supporting members 3 not only guide the rack in its rotating movement but also serve to keep the tubes in the sections after each has been filled and moved to the bottom of the rack.

aty

It is desirable to have two or more of these racks connected together, such as shown in Figure l, so as to provide a temporary storage space lll between the racks.

It will be seen that, by the use of the rotary rack of this invention, tubes of various sizes can be stored therein and easily and quickly removed Without disturbing any other group of tubes.

While I have shown and described an embodiment of my invention,v it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A rack for storing'tubes and thelike comprising a frame, parallel spaced-apart circular members xedly carried by said frame, a rotatable shaft ain'ally positioned in the circular members of said frame, `two corresponding sets of arms extending radially from said shaft, said sets of arms being spaced apart substantially the same distance as said circular members and forming a plurality of tube-receiving sections therebetween around said shaft, said circular members adapted to retain said tubes in said sections, and means carried by said arms adjacent the ends-thereof cooperating with said circular members to rotatably support said shaft and the arms carried thereby.

2. A rack for storing tubes and the like comprising a frame, parallel spaced-apart. circular track-like members carried by said frame, a rotatable shaft axially positioned in the circular members of said frame, two corresponding sets of arms extending radially from said shaft, said sets of arms being spaced apart substantially the same distance as said circular track-like members and forming a plurality of tube-receiving sections therebetween around said shaft, said track-like members adapted to retain the tubes in said sections and a wheel carried by each of said arms adjacent the ends thereof, said wheels cooperating withv said track-like members to support and guide said shaft and arms carried thereby at least during rotation thereof.

3. A rack for storing tubes and the like comprising a pair of spaced-apart stationary circular annular track-like members witheach having a corresponding segmental opening therein, a rotatable shaft axially positioned through said circular members, a' plurality -of members carried by and. extending outwardly from said shaft to a point adjacent said stationary circular `members to form a plurality of tube-receivingsec-` tions therebetween around said shaft and so arranged that tubesl can be removed from any particular section only when that section 'is positioned opposite the openings in `said circularl member, and means arranged on each of said outwardly extending members adjacent the ends thereof which are adapted to cooperatewith said circular track-like members to support and guide said shaft and the members carried thereby during rotation thereof.

4. A rack for storing tubes and the like com-y prising a, pair of spaced-apart stationary circular annular members with each having a corresponding segmental opening therein, a rotatable shaft axially positioned through said circular members, and two.` corresponding sets of arms carried by said shaft with each `of said arms extending outwardly therefrom to a point adjacent said stationary circular members, said sets. of arms being spacedapart substantially they samedistance as said circular members and arranged so as to. provide. a plurality of tube-receiving sections therebetween around said shaft, said circular members adapted to retain the tubes ineach oi said sections and so arranged that tubes can be removed from any particular section only when that section is positioned opposite theopenings in said circular members. f

5. A rack for storing tubes and the like com` prising a pair of spaced-apart stationaryvcircular annular members with each havinga corresponding segmental opening therein, a rotatable shaft f axially positioned through said circular members, at least two sets of arms carried by said.

tion only when that-section is positioned opposite the openings in saidcircular members, a .rod arranged between each of the oppositely disposed karms of said sets adjacent the ends thereof, and

means carried by each of said. rods which are adapted to cooperate with said stationary circular members toi support and guide said shaft andther arms carriedl thereby. i

MALCOLM G. MURRAY. s 

